Oversensitive Doctors

[Guest guest]

The IMA and sundry medical associations have demanded an apology from Amir Khan

for the programme he did on doctors. Doctors in whole of India have been feeling

hurt individually too. It is pure nonsense. There are two points worth

considering. First, a difference of opinion is a sign of wisdom. To be slightly

cynical, I would like to tell you that opinion is like an a*****: everybody has

got one. Therefore, Amir Khan cannot be faulted for having an opinion. Secondly,

do we know the truth about ourselves (let alone accepting it)? I have my

reservations for the character of a profession if it feels threatened by a mere

actor.

We are a nation with suspect integrity. Similarly, the medical profession has

its flaws. This should  not surprise anybody because we too are Indians and we

share the cardinal Indian traits with our countrymen. We are a country where

(choronka) Raja is welcome when he is released from jail as if he is the first

man to have landed on Mars; where the CVC (who is there to stop corruption) had

to be removed because he himself was corrupt; and where the President was

associated with a corrupt cooperative society and whose son was caught with

unaccounted for cash in his car. It is no wonder that the Chief of MCI was

corrupt enough to amass a considerable fortune. A doctor doing this is certainly

shameful, but not entirely shocking.

Coming to the specifics of the issue, we should have self-awareness and maturity

to know  what afflicts the medical profession. Dr Nagral has been very

thoughtful in his discussion on our shortcomings. I have quite a few personal

observations which  were utterly disturbing. To quote just one example, a

surgeon used to remove the appendix routinely as if he were dealing with an

epidemic of appendicitis. Despite the fact that we all spring from the same

society with a blunted conscience, we have to respect the patient as a

fellow human being; understand the psychological aspects of his illness; and be

honest, considerate and cordial with him.  Who already follow the principles

that guide medicine may find these words like a boring sermon. The reality still

warrants an introspection.

For man, life is a never-ending battle between conscience and convenience. Let

us not permit the convenience to dominate our conscience. We are doctors!

Bharat